With South Africans due to vote in local government elections in just two days, frustrated Johannesburg residents took their water grievances directly to the municipality, demanding answers over shortages that have left some households struggling to access a basic service.

According to the Northcliff Melville Times residents, alongside activists from WaterCAN, JoburgCAN and the Johannesburg Crisis Alliance, protested outside Johannesburg Water’s Newtown offices earlier today (November 2), where they handed over a memorandum of demands to the entity.

The demonstration followed earlier protests in Crosby, Melville and Parktown, as communities continued to call for a reliable water supply and accountability over the ongoing disruptions.

For Parktown West resident Clive Hardwick, the shortages have become a daily struggle. He said some households in the suburb had gone without a reliable water supply for as long as 12 weeks.

Residents had been forced to find alternative ways to secure water, with some buying supplies from tankers operating in the area.

Without a dependable supply, even basic household tasks had become difficult. Residents had to wash using buckets and collect water to flush their toilets.

Hardwick said water sometimes returned to some taps for short periods, occasionally between midnight and 03:00, forcing residents to collect as much as they could while it was available.

Summer heat raises concern

The prospect of prolonged shortages during the summer months was particularly worrying, Hardwick said.

He pointed to the vulnerability of elderly residents, including his 93-year-old next-door neighbour, and questioned how people without a reliable water supply would cope during a heatwave.

He said the problem extended beyond Parktown West, with residents from different parts of Johannesburg joining the protest.

Households with young children were also affected, he said, adding that access to clean water was essential and could not be treated as an optional service.

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Entity cites infrastructure challenges

In a response to the publication on October 21, Johannesburg Water spokesperson Nombuso Shabalala attributed the supply challenges to several factors, including ageing infrastructure, underfunding, limited financial and human resources, theft and vandalism.

She also cited population growth, illegal connections, non-payment and electricity interruptions affecting the pumping of water to reservoirs and towers.

Shabalala said revenue from water services was used to operate, maintain and upgrade the city’s water infrastructure. The entity was also working with the city to address theft and vandalism.

At today’s protest, Johannesburg Water executive manager for stakeholder relations and communications Nondumiso Mabuza received the memorandum from the Johannesburg Crisis Alliance.

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Mabuza said the entity would communicate further with the community.

Residents continued to demand a dependable water supply, warning that the impact of prolonged shortages could become more serious as temperatures rise.

Johannesburg Water was sent further questions about the concerns raised during the demonstration. The story will be updated when a response is received.

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